Character positioning mechanism



Nov. 6, 1956 w. E. PERRY 2,769,379

CHARACTER POSITIONING MECHANISM Filed May 22, 1952 G Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. WALTER E. PEERY l Yuur ATTORNEYS.

Nov. 6, 1956 w. E. PERRY 2,769,379

CHARACTER POSITIONING MECHANISM Filed May 22, 1952 Y e sheeheet zINVENTOR.

WALTER E. PEERY HIS A ORNEYS.

Nov. 6, 1956 w. E. PERRY 2,769,379

CHARACTER ROSITIONING MECHANISM Filed May 22, 1952 6 SheeiZS-SheefI 3INVENTOR.

WALTER E. PEERY HIS-A oRNEYs.

Nov. 6, 1956 w. E.' PERRY CHARACTER POSITIONING MECHANISM Filed May 22,1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 Zzmi Qzoumw EL mmN INVENTO'R.

9km-Mq RNEYS WALTER E. PEERY Y Z j HIS A O wmQa ZOU www New 5m Nov. 6,1956 w. E. PERRY CHARACTER POSITIONING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 lFiledMay 22, 1952 INVENTOR.

WALTER EPEERY BY Cura@ M HlsATr RNEYS.

Nov. 6, 1956 w. E: PERRY CHARACTER POSITIONING MECHANISM 6 Sheets-Sheet6 Filed May 22; 1952 y INVENTOR. WALTER E. PEERY BY WQf-uq HISA oNEYS.

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VQIOFQUUZTEDOU 1.1286 @z imuwlj A NIIL. oZOUmm ,All MISC wzoaou UnitedStates Patent O CHARACTER PSITIGNING MECHANISM Walter E. Peery,Pottersville, N. J., assigner to Time, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., acorporation of New YorkV Application May 22, 1952, Serial No. 289,411

21 Claims. (Cl. 95-4.5)

The present invention relates to typecomposing apparatus and the like.More specifically, it has to do with novel and highly effective meansfor reproducing characters on a medium in justified lines.

The applicants copending application Serial No. 41,318, filed July 29,1948, for Electronic Fhoto-Typecomposing System, discloses aphoto-typecomposing machine in which the positions of charactersprojected on a photosensitive emulsion are controlled by a rotatablereflector disposed in the projection path. The machine is adapted torespond to code signals on a record strip which may representcharacters, character widths, word spaces, line endings, etc. Eachportion of the record strip is scanned twice, viz., once in anantecedent scanning operation in which electronic means determines theword space required for justification, and secondly in a printingoperation which utilizes the information derived as a result of theantecedent scanning to print selected characters in justified lines.

The present application is directed to novel mechanical justifying andcharacter positioning mechanism 'which may be employed effectively in aphoto-typecomposing system of the kind disclosed in the aforementionedcopending application, although it is not limited to such use.

It is an object of the invention to provide new and improved mechanicalmeans for controlling the positioning of characters to be printed in aline on a medium such. that justified lines of characters will beproduced.

Another object of the invention is to provide new and improvedmechanical justifying and character position ing means which is capableof accommodating variable widths and different point sizes for thecharacters, and which also embodies means for adjusting the length of aline of characters being composed.

A further object of the invention is to provide new and improvedmechanical justifying and character positioning means of the abovecharacter which may be controlled in response to signals derived fromcode elements on a control tape or the like.

These and other objects of the invention are attained by providingjustifying apparatus comprising gear train mechanism having aninfinitely adjustable ratio of output to input within limits. Prior tocomposing a line of characters, the gear train mechanism is adjusted inaccordance with inputs representing, respectively, the spaces occupiedby the characters in the line and the number of word spaces in the lineto give a ratio of output to input which represents the word spacingrequired for proper justification of the line to be composed.Subsequently, when the line of characters is being composed, thepreadjusted gear train mechanism is actuated in response to inputsrepresenting word spaces to cause the insertion between adjoining Wordsin the line being composed of the proper space required forjustification.

The positioning of the several characters in the line being composedrequires the displacement of a member in accordance with the widths ofthe successive characters. Such displacements are adapted to beproduced,

2,769,379 Patented Nov. 6, 1956 ICC 2 according to the invention, byimparting to a displaceable member incremental displacements which mayrepresent in magnitude one or more of a plurality of binary digitsforming a binary number representing the width of a character. Theincremental displacements may be produced by gearing actuated by meanssuch as a plurality of Geneva movements adapted to be indexed,respectively, in response to signals derived from code elements on acontrol tape or the like.

Gear train mechanism of infinitely adjustable ratio may be interposedbetween the displaceable member and the justifying mechanism so as toenable different point sizes of characters to be accommodated.

The invention may be better understood from the following detaileddescription of a typical embodiment thereof, taken in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of a typical photocomposing system inwhich the novel justifying mechanism of the invention may be employed;

Fig. 2 illustrates schematically a portion of the justifying mechanismin the apparatus of Fig. 1 which is adapted to provide displacementsproportional to vthe widths of characters;

Fig. 3 is a schematic diagram of another portion of the apparatus ofFig. l which includes the justifying mechanism proper and mechanism foraccommodating different point sizes of characters;

Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a typical control system for thejustifying mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3;

Fig. 5 illustrates schematically a binary counting circuit that rnay beemployed in the control system of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of a flip-flop circuit which may form partof the control system of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a graph illustrating a typical sequence of operations in thesystem shown in Fig. 4.

While the character positioning and justifying mechanism of theinvention may be used with a wide variety of reproducing systems, itwill be described herein in relation to a photocomposing system of thetype disclosed in the aforementioned copending application Serial No.41,318. As shown schematically in Fig. 1, a photocomposing system ofthis type comprises a pair of signal pickup devices 30 and 31 which areadapted to scan code elements on a control tape 10. The pick-up device30 is adapted to scan the tape 10 one line in advance of the signalpick-up device 31 and is, therefore, designated the antecedent signalpick-up. The signal pick-up device 31 is called the printing signalpick-up because it provides the signals used in printing a line ofcharacters.

The control tape 10, which contains on its surface in code form thecharacters to be printed, is fed from a reel 11 through guide means 12to a reel 14. A sprocket or other device 15 propels the tape as requiredpast the signal pick-up devices 30 and 31.

Signals produced by the printing signal pick-up device 31 are fed over achannel 35 to a printing control apparatus 34 for controlling theflashing of a printing light 17 which is adapted to project selectedcharacters 19 on a continuously rotating disc 16 to a movingphotosensitive emulsion 18. The positions of the characters projectedfrom the character disc 16 to the film 18 are adapted to be controlledby a transverse translation mechanism 20 in response to signals from atranslation control 32 which in turn is responsive to the antecedentpick-up device 30 and to the printing signal pick-up device 31.

In the photoccmposing system disclosed in the aforementioned copendingapplication Serial No. 41,318, the translation control system 32 andtransverse translation mechanism 2t) are mainly electronic in character.The present application is directed to new and improved translationcontrol apparatus in which'mechanical means serves to control theangular position of a reflecting member in the transverse translationmechanism 20 so as to compose the several characters in the copy to beprinted in correctly justified lines on the photosensitive emulsion 18.

Referring now to Fig. 3 of the drawings, images of selected characterson the character bearing disc 16 of Fig. l are directed to the reflector37 in the transverse translation mechanism 2t) and from the reflector 37to the photosensitive emulsion 18. The reflector 37, in its initialposition, directs the first character to the beginning of a line on thephotosensitive emulsion 18 and it is adapted to be rotated by mechanismto be described, to position subsequent characters at differentpositions along the line, leaving sufficient space between adjacentwords to insure the production of correctly justified lines.

The character space generating mechanism Fig. 2 shows the portion of thecharacter positioning and justifying mechanism of the invention whichgenerates the character space information. It may comprise, for example,a plurality of shiftable 4Geneva mechanisms 38a, 38b, 38e, 38d and 38e,adapted to be driven by gears 39a, 39b, 39e, 39d, and 39e, respectively,carried on a common shaft 40 which may be driven in synchronism With thetape feed mechanism 24 (Fig. 1). The shiftable Geneva mechanisms are allsubstantially identical in construction and it will be necessary,therefore, to describe only one of them in detail, like parts in theothers being designated by like reference characters with appropriatesubscripts.

` The shiftable Geneva mechanism 38a comprises the usual Geneva wheel41a and driving pin 42a. The driving pin 42a is mounted on a gear 43aWhich is in driving engagement with the gear 39a on the continuouslyrotating shaft 4t). The driving gear 43a also carries a locking hub 44ahaving a cylindrical outer portion 13a and a portion 45a adjacent thegear 43a which is slotted halfway through, as shown. The driving gear43a is mounted for axial sliding movement and it is normally maintainedby suitable means such as a spring (not shown) with the cylindricalouter portion 13a of the locking hub 44a in engagement with one of thecurved edges of the Geneva wheel 41a so that the latter is lockedagainst rotation. While in this position, the driving pin 42a moves in apath which is displaced laterally from the Geneva wheel 41a so that itis incapable of indexing the latter.

The driving gear 43a is adapted to be shifted axially to the indexingposition by suitable means such as a conventional solenoid 21a, forexample, which may be energized in response to signals received from theantecedent signal pick-up device 30 or from the printing signal pick-updevice 31, as will be described later. This moves the cylindrical outerportion 13a of the locking hub 44a laterally out of engagement with thecurved edge of the Geneva wheel 41a and brings the latter opposite theslot 45a in the hub 44a so that the wheel can now be indexed.Simultaneously, the driving pin 42a on the gear 43a is moved to aposition in which it can enter a slot in the Geneva wheel 41a to indexthe same once for each complete revolution of the driving gear 43a.

. If the Geneva wheel 41a has eight slots, for example, the driving pin42a will be in engagement with the wheel 41a only during 135 of therevolution of the driving gear 43a. During the remainder of therevolution, the wheel 41a is locked by the locking hub 44a. The drivinggear 43a carrying the hub 44a and the pin 42a may be shifted into or outof engagement with the Geneva wheel 41a during this 255 of rotation. Theratio of the arc of engagement to the arc of dwell is important in thatit allows a considerable portion of the total revolution in which thedriving gear 43a can be shifted in Or out of engagement with the wheel41a.

The Geneva wheels ila-41e, inclusive, and their driving mechanisms43m-43e, inclusive, are identical in construction. Each time any Genevawheel is indexed, it imparts unit motion to an associated output gearwhich, except for the gear 47a, meshes with a gear which delivers oneinput to a mechanical differential device. Thus, the Geneva wheel 41e,and its associated gear 47e, for example, deliver one mechanical inputto a conventional differential 49e. The differential 49e is also adaptedto receive a second mechanical input from the shaft 46d to which isdelivered the output of the preceding differential 49d. The output ofthe dierential 49e is delivered to a shaft 46e. The differentials49b-49e, inclusive, are of the usual type in which the mechanical outputis one-half the sum of the two mechanical inputs.

The indexing of any of the eight slot Geneva wheels shown in Fig. 2 willimpart to the wheel and to its associated gear an angular rotation of45. If the wheel 41e is indexed, a rotational input of 45 will also beimparted to the differential 49e. The differential output shaft 46e,however, will rotate only 221/2. If the wheel 41d is indexed, arotational input of 45 will be delivered to the differential 49d but itsoutput shaft 46d will rotate only one-half that or 221/2". Since themechanical output at the shaft 46d is also delivered as a second inputto the differential 49e, the 221/2 rotation of the shaft 46d willdeliver to the shaft 46e a rotational output of 11% or one-fourth of themotion of the Geneva Wheel 41a'. Likewise, indexing the Geneva wheel 41ewill result in a rotational displacement in the shaft 46e of 53A orone-eighth of the motion of the Geneva wheel 41e. Similarly, indexingthe wheel 41b imparts to the shaft 46e a rotational displacement ofone-sixteenth the motion of the wheel 4117.

The motion of the gear 47a and of the wheel 41a are delivered directlyto the shaft 46a through a gear 48a. Sinceno differential action isinvolved, the gear ratio between the gears 47a and 48a is made two toone so that when the wheel 41a is indexed, it will impart to the shaft46e a rotational displacement equal to onethirty-second the rotationaldisplacement of the wheel 41a.

The unit motions imparted to the shaft 46e by the several Genevamechanisms when indexed are not the same but are in the ratios of 1, 2,4, 8 and 16, respectively. Accordingly, any desired number of units ofmotion up to a maximum of 3l may be imparted to the shaft 46e, so thatany desired character width from 0 up to 31 units can be represented bya corresponding total displacement imparted to the shaft 46e.

If the width of a character is denoted on the control tape 10 by aplurality of indicia equal in number to the number of unitscorresponding to the width of the character, a corresponding number ofsignals will be produced as the tape l@ is scanned by either theantecedent signal pick-up device 30 or the printing signal pick-updevice 31. These signals are fed to conventional means such as binarycounter apparatus 25 (Fig. 4), for example, where they are converted tobinary signals which are fed to the appropriate shiftable Genevamechanisms 38a, 38h, 38C, 38d or 38e to produce a total displacement ofthe shaft 46e proportional in magnitude to the number of units on thecontrol tape 10 representing the width of the particular character.

As in the system illustrated in the aforementioned copending applicationSerial No. 41,318, the apparatus shown in Fig. 2 performs alternately ajustifying function and a printing function. During the former, thecounter apparatus 25 responds only to signals from the antecedent signalpick-up device 30 whereas, during the latter, the counter 25 respondsonly to signals from the printing signal pick-up device 31. Theapparatus may be switched from one function to another by means similarto that shown in the above-mentioned copending application.

As also described in detail in the above-noted'co4 pending VapplicationSerial No. 41,318, signals representing characters, character spares,and other functions `of the composing machine are received during therotation past a projection point of a blank sector 22 (Fig. 1), calledthe reset sector, on the character disc 16. The information representedby the signals received during the reset period is then acted upon.during `the period required for the remainder of the character disc torotate past the projection point.

The gears 13a-43e, inclusive, rotate at the same rate as the characterdisc 16 and their rotation is phased with respect to the character disc16 so that the indexing of the Geneva wheels 41o-41e, inclusive, occursduring the reset portion 22 of a revolution of the character disc 16. Inthis fashion, the movement of the mirror 37 (Fig. 3) occurs in the`interval between the printing of two successive characters.

The movement of the mirror 37'to provide space for any character occursduring the reset period succeeding the printing of the precedingcharacter and is related to the width occupied on a composed line by thepreceding character. The sequence of operations of Geneva engagingsolenoids 21a-21e, inclusive, is shown graphi- .cally on line H of Fig.7. In the second reset period at the beginning of the second revolutionof the character disc 16 in the justifying cycle, signals correspondingto a first character are taken from the tape as well as signalsrepresenting the width vof that character. The latter signals actuatethe binary counter apparatus 25 to control the proper Geneva mechanisms,as will be described in greater detail below.

During the printing period of the second revolution of the characterdisc 16 in the justifying cycle, the desired character is selected andprinted. Also, the solenoids of the proper ones of the Geneva mechanisms38a-38e, inclusive, are energized and the corresponding ones of thedriving gears 43a-43e, inclusive, move to the engagement position asindicated by the shaded area 23 (Fig. 7). The appropriate ones of thedriving gears 43o-43e, inclusive, are in the fully engaged position atthe beginning of and during the reset period of the third revolution ofthe character disc 16 (Fig. 1), as shown by the shaded area 23 of Fig.7, and the selected Geneva wheels are indexed during this reset period.The mirror 37 is moved a corresponding amount if the mechanism isoperating in a composing cycle, or the gear 34 is moved if in ajustifying cycle. Thus, during the third reset period, the mirror 37 (ina composing cycle) is moved in an angular amount proportional to thewidth of the rst character. This mirror motion represents an actualspacing motion for the second character (about to be printed) in thatthe position of mirror 37 at the end of its motion determines theposition where the second character is printed on the receiving medium1S. The purpose of the presently-described mirror motion is, however, toassign the proper width on the medium for the rst character.

The binary circuits in the binary counter apparatus 25 which control theselected Geneva mechanism solenoids are reset to normal at the beginningof the reset period of the third revolution of the character disc 16.However, these binary circuits actuate means such as slow releasecontrol relay mechanisms to be described belovtI which cause such of theGeneva drive gears as are in engagement to remain in engagement and notto become disengaged until during the printing period of the thirdrevolution, as shown by the shaded area 23 in Fig. 7. During the resetperiod of the third revolution, signals are taken from the control tape10 (Fig. 1) which govern the selection and indicate the width of thesecond character. By virtue of the slow releasing relay mechanisms, andsince the binary circuits in the counter apparatus 25 were cleared andresetto normal at the beginning of the reset period in the thirdrevolution of the disc 16 (Fig. l), the l character spacing circuits andapparatus are ready to receive information and be set up in accordancewith the width of the second character. This is done during the thirdreset period, simultaneously with the actual spacing motion for thesecond character equal to the width of composed line necessary for the-now printed first character. The activation of the Geneva mechanismsolenoids, the indexing, and the resetting for the second character andsucceeding characters is the same as for the first.

The point size adjustment mechanism In order to accommodate differentpoint sizes of characters, the displacement imparted to the shaft 46e inFig. 2 representing the total widths of the characters in a line mayneed expansion or contraction, as required. This may be accomplished bythe point size adjustment mechanism 50 shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.It comprises essentially a gear train mechanism having a substantiallyinfinitely adjustable ratio of output motion to input motion withincertain limits. More specifically, it comprises two pairs of log tapewheels 51 and 52 designed to give ratios of input shaft to output shaftrotation according to the range of point sizes of characters to becomposed. For example, if the normal rotation of the character spaceinput shaft 46e (Fig. 2) is adjusted to compose in l2 point type and itis desired to have a point range of from 6 point to 24 point, then thepairs of log tape wheels 51 and 52 should be designed to give ratios offrom 2:1 to 1:2. The normal rotation of the shaft 46c (Fig. 2) will thenbe reduced or increased to compose in the selected type size.

As shown in greater detail in Fig. 3, 'the pair of wheels 51 comprisesthe wheels 53 and 54 which are shaped generally as shown. The wheels 53and 54 are connected by a tape 55 secured to the wheel 53 at 56 and tothe wheel 54 at 57, and by a tape 55a secured to the wheels 53 and 54 at56a and 57a, respectively. The design is such that the rotation of theshaft 58 on which the Wheel 53 is mounted is equal to the logarithm ofthe rotation of the shaft 59 on which the wheel 54 is mounted.Similarly, the pair 52 comprises the wheels 6() and 61 mounted on shafts62 and 63, respectively, and connected by a tape 64 secured at the point65 on the wheel 60 and at the point 66 on the wheel 61, and by a tape64a secured on the wheels and 61 at the points 65a and 66a,respectively. The wheels 60 and 61 are also so shaped that the rotationof the shaft 62 is the logarithm of the rotation of the shaft 63.

The tape wheels 54 and 61 carry stop pins 126 and 127, respectively,which are adapted to cooperate with suitable stops 126a and 127e,respectively, to determine specied initial positions for the wheels 54and 61. The wheels 54 and 61 are provided with return springs 128 and129 which serve to bring the pins 126 and 127 to the initial positionsdetermined by the stops 126a and 127a, respectively, when certain of theclutches 104, 100, 67 or the brake 12) are released, as will bedescribed below. The stops 126a and 127g are made adjustable in anyknown manner to provide a suitable home or starting position for the twosets of log tape wheels. It will be understood that the settings of thestops 126a and 127a will determine the transmission ratio from the shaft59 to the shaft 63 through and as a result of the operation of the twopairs of log tape wheels.

The shafts 5S and 62 upon which the log tape wheels 53 and 60,respectively, are mounted are adapted to be coupled and uncoupled bymeans of a clutch 67. Normally, the shafts 53 and 62 are coupledtogether. However, when it is desired to adjust the positions of thestops 126a and 127:1 for pins 126 and 127, respectively, as required toeffect a change in the point size setting, the clutch 67 is released toenable this to be done.

The pairs of log tape wheels 51 and 52 (Fig. 3) enable an innite numberof ratios of motion between the shafts 59 and 63 to be obtained,V aswill appear from the following considerations:

Let A and B be the initial settings of the shafts 9 and 63,respectively, as they are" adjusted for any desired point size or anydesired ratio of motion, and let C and D be the corresponding positionsof the shafts 58 and 62, respectively. Then, .because of the mechanicalconstruction of the tape wheels or by definition:

C=log A and D=1og B For an incremental movement AA of the shaft 59, theshafts 5S, 62, and 63 will be moved incremental amounts AC, AD, and AB,respectively, since the shafts 58 and 62 are mechanically coupledthrough the clutch 67. The new positions of the shafts are now,mathematically:

C-i-AC=log (A-j-AA) and D+AD=log (B-l-AB) Solving for AC and AD: v

Y AC=log (A+AA)-C and D=log (B+AB) -D It will be apparent that AC=ADbecause the two Vshafts 58 and 62 are mechanically coupled by clutch67.' Equating the two equations for AC and AD gives:

log (A+AA)-C=log I(B-{AB)D Substituting log A for C and log B for Dgives: log (A |AA -log A=log (B-l-AB) log B A-I-AA B-I-AB g( A )dog (T)Taking the antilog gives:

A +AA=B+AB The last expression, interpreted, means that the incrementalrotation of the shaft 63 is equal to the ratio of the initial relativesettings of the shafts 63 and 59 times the incremental rotation of theshaft 59. It will be noted that'the ratio is linear for any initialsetting.

Since the shafts 59 land 63 may be set to represent an infinite numberof ratios, it follows that the settings of the pairs of log tape wheelsS1 and 52 may provide an intinite number of ratios of motion betweenthem.

y The character positioning and justifying mechanism Fig. 3 also showsmechanism 29 for justifying a line of characters to be composed by asystem utilizing a rota-ting mirror 37, as in the photocomposing systemdisclosed in the aforementioned copending lapplication Serial No.41,318. The justifying mechanism 29 comprises a first pair of 10g tapewheels 38 and 71 mounted on the shafts 72 and 73, respectively. Thewheels 38 and 71 are connected by a tape 74 secured to the wheel 33 at75 and to the wheel 71 at 76, and by a second tape 74a secured to thewheels 38 and 71 at the points 75a and 76a, respectively. A second pairof log tape wheels 77 and 78 are mounted on shafts 79 land 80,respectively. The wheels 77 and 78 are connected by sa tape 81 connectedto the wheel 77 at 82 and to the wheel 78 at 83, and by a tape 81aconnected to the wheels 77 and 78 at the points 82a and 83a,respectively. The pairs of tape wheels 38, 71, .and 77, 78 are similarin construction to the pairs of tape wheels 51 and 52 in the point sizemechanism 50 but dier in the range of driving ratios which they canaccommodate. The operation of the two is identical.

The shafts 73 and 80 on which the wheels 71 and 78, respectively, aremounted are adapted to be :coupled mechanically by suitable means suchas a magnetic clutch 84 controlled in response to signals derived fromthe tape 10 by the antecedent signal pick-up device 30. During thejustifying cycle of the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the clutch 84 isdeenergized and the shafts 73 and 80 are uncoupled so as to enableseparate :adjustments to be made of the tape wheels 38 and 71 on the onehand, and of the tape wheels 77 and 78 on the other. This adjustmentduring the justifying cycle establishes the transmission ratio throughthe two pairs of tape wheels. After adjustment and during the printingtcycle, a signal from the printing signal pick-up ldevice 31 (Fig. l)causes the clutch 84 to be energized to couple the shafts 73 and 80together :as required in the printing operation to be described ingreater detail below.

The shaft 79 on which the wheel 77 is mounted is coupled through aconventional electrically operated clutch 68ito a shaft 69 which carriesa gear 85 engaging a pinion 86 on a conventional Geneva wheel 87. TheGeneva wheel 87 is Iadapted to be indexed, as previously described, bythe usual pin 88 on a driving gear 89 meshed with a gear 70 carried by acontinuously rotating shaft 90 which may be driven in synchronism withthe shaft 40 (Fig. 2). 'Ihe driving gear 89 is axially slidable and itcarries the usual hub 91 which is slotted half-way through at 92 asshown. Normally, `suitable means such as a spring (not shown) maintainsthe driving gear 89 in such position that the pin 88 cannot engage theGeneva wheel 87 while the unslotted portion of the hub 91 engages one ofthe curved edges of the wheel 87 so that the latter is locked :againstmovement.

The driving gear 89 is adapted to be shifted axially by suitable meanssuch las a conventional solenoid 93, for example, to a position wherethe pin 88 will engage a slot in the Geneva wheel 87, the latter beingat this time in alignment with the slotted portion 92 of the hub 91 sothat the Geneva wheel 87 may be indexed once for each revolution of thedriving gear 89. The solenoid 93 is normally deenergized, but it isadapted to be energized by solenoid control mechanism responsive to wordspace Acode elements on the tape 10, as described in greater detailbelow. During the justifying :cycle the control mechanism for thesolenoid 93responds only to word space [signals generated by theantecedent signal pick-up device 30, whereas during the printing cycleit responds only to word space signals generated by the printing signalpickup device 31.

The shaft 72 on which the wheel 38 is mounted carries a gear 94 engagingone input element 95 of a conventional differential 96, the other inputelement of which is adapted -to be driven by the shaft 63. The outputelement of the differential 96 drives a shaft 96a coupled byconventional electrically controlled clutch mechanism 100 to a shaft100a carrying a worm 97 engaging a worm wheel 98 on which the shaft 99supporting the reflector 37 is mounted. Conventional electricallycontrolled braking mechanism is also provided for the shaft 96a. Duringthe justifying cycle, the clutch mechanism 100 is deenergized while thebrake mechanism 126 is energized 'so that the shafts 96a and 18871 areuncoupled while the shaft 96a is braked. At the conclusion of thejustifying cycle, the braking mechanism 128 is deenergized and Ia signalfrom the printing signal pick-up device 31 energizes the clutchmechanism so vthat the shaft 96a is released and coupled to vthe shaft100arin which condition it remains until the conclusion of the printingcycle.

The gear 94 on the shaft 72 also carries a pin 101 which is adapted toengage an adjustable stop 102. Normally, the gear 94 is urged bysuitable means such as a spring 121 in the direction to bring the pin101 into engagement with the stop 102 and the position of the latter isso chosen that the angular displacement of the gear 94 from a referenceposition when the two are in engagement will be proportional to thetotal line length available for printing a line of characters.

The justifying mechanism 29 performs the mathematical operations ofsubtracting the space a occupied by the characters in a line from thetotal line length (a--b), dividing the remainder (b) by the number ofword spaces (r) in the line, and then delivering the quotient, or theindividual wordrspace (s), -as ra metered amount of motion to the mirror37 during the composition of the line at each point where a word spaceis called for.

At the beginning of a justifying cycle, and when appropriate ones of theclutches in the mechanism have been deenergized to this end, the spring121 on the gear 94 urges the pin 101 into engagement with the stop 102,at which time the shaft 72 has taken an angular displacementproportional to the total line length a-i-b. Appropriate ones of theclutches are then energized to couple the several parts of the mechanismoperatively, as will be described later herein. As character space data,a is entered by rotating the shaft 72 during the justifying cycle, the-shaft 72 rotates towards the zero position, thus accomplishing thesubtraction of character space from total line length. At the end of ajustifying cycle, the shaft 72 will finally reach a positionproportional to the total word space b in the line and the shaft 73 willhave assumed a position proportional to the logarithm of the total wordspace b.

During the justifying cycle, the .clutch 84 is open so that the shafts73 and 80 are free to assume their respective positions according to theamount of character space and the number of word spaces in the linebeing justified. Each time a word space is scanned by the antecedentsignal pick-up device 30, it supplies a signal to solenoid controlmechanism to be described later, which energizes the solenoid 93,thereby releasing the Geneva wheel 87 and enabling it to be indexed onceby the pin 88.

Accordingly, at the end of the justifying cycle, the shaft 79 will havebeen rotated an amount proportional vto the total number of word spacesr in the line being justified. Also, the shaft 72 will have acquired anangular displacement from Zero position proportional to the total wordspace b in the line. If, under these conditions, the clutch 84 isenergized to couple the shafts 73 and 80, it can easily be shown thatunit motion of the shaft 79 will deliver unit word space motion to theshaft 72.

A t the end of the justifying cycle, the printing signal pick-up device31 (Fig. l) generates a signal which energizes the clutch 84, couplingthe shafts 73 and 80 together. At this point, the mechanism 29 has beenset up for a motion ratio from shaft 79 to shaft 72 of Since is thequantity representing one word space s, unit motion of the shaft 79 willdeliver unit word space motion of the shaft 72. Further, since indexingthe word space Geneva wheel 87 one slot will give the shaft 79 unitmotion, unit justied word space will be delivered by the shaft 72 eachtime the word space Geneva 87 is indexed.

In a photocomposing system of the type disclosed in the above-mentionedcopending application Serial No.

41,318, two justifying and character positioning mechanisms of the typeshown in Figs. 2 and 3 herein would be employed for rotating thereflector 37, the second (not shown) being adapted to rotate a shaft 103connected to the `worm 97 (Fig. 3). rhis would enable one unit toperform a justifying function on the line neXt to be cornposed while thesecond unit is performing a composing function on the line beingcomposed.

T he control system A typical control system for use with the characterpositioning mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is illustrated in Figs.4-6, inclusive, and a graph illustrating the sequence of operations ofthe several components is shown in Fig. 7. The antecedent and printingpick-up devices 30 and 31, respectively, may be of the type disclosed inthe above-identified copending application Serial No. 41,318. rfhus, theantecedent scanning device 30 (Fig. 4) comprises a photoelectric cell201 responsive to character space indiciav on the control tape 10 (Fig.1), which furnishes an input to an amplier 202, and a photoelectric cell203 responsive to different code indicia on the tape 10 representingword space and justifying signals, respectively, which supply signals toan amplifier 204. As indicated in the aforementioned copendingapplication Serial No. 41,318, the shapes of the word space andjustifying indicia on the tape 10 are such that they produce signalshaving different time rates of change, respectively. A filter network205 is provided which receives the output of the amplifier 204 andpasses only word space signals to an amplifier 206 and only justifyingsignals to an amplifier 207.

The printing scanning device 31 (Fig. 4) comprises a first group ofphotoelectric cells 208, 209 and 210 which are responsive to indicia onthe control tape 10 (Fig. 1) representing character space, word spaceand line signals, respectively, and a second group of photoelectriccells 211-214, inclusive, which are responsive to other indicia on thecontrol tape 10 that determine the characters to be selected forprinting in a line. Preferably, a plurality of amplifiers 21S-221,inclusive, are provided for amplifying the signal outputs of thephotoelectric cells 208-214, respectively. The outputs of the amplifiers218- 221, inclusive, are fed to suitable character selecting circuitsdesignated by the reference character 222. These form no part of theinvention and they may be substantially the same as those employed inthe photocomposing system disclosed in the above-identified copendingapplication Serial No. 41,318.

Each time a line signal is generated by the photoelectric cell 210, apulse is produced which is fed from the amplifier 217 through aconductor 223 to a conventional flip-fiop circuit 224, successiveoperations of which cause the justifying mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and3 to effect justifying and printing operations alternately. The fiipopcircuit 224 may be of the usual type comprising a pair of electron tubes225 and 226 (Fig. 6) connected, as shown, to a plurality of resistors227, 228, 229, 230 and 231 and to a plurality of condensers 232, 233 and234. Between the positive plate supply lead and the plate 233 of thetube 226 are interposed in series the windings 234 and 235 of a slowactuating and slow releasing relay 236 and a quick-acting relay 237,respectively. For details as to the operation of flip-op circuits ofthis type, reference is made to the book Wave Forms, by Chance, Hugheset al., page 612 et seq.

With the relay 236 in the position shown in Fig. 4, the portion of thecontrol system shown is connected to perform a justifying cycle ofoperation. Thus7 character space signals generated by the photoelectriccell 201 arefed from the output of the amplier 202 through a circuitincluding the conductor 238, the movable contact 239' of the relay 236engaging the fixed contact 240, and a conductor 241 .to the severalcounter circuits 25a, 25h,` 25C, 25d and 25e in the binary counterapparatus 25 11 which controls the operation of the character spacemechanism shown in Fig. 2. The binary counter circuits 25a-25e,inclusive, are identical in construction and it will be necessary,therefore, to describe only one in detail.

As shown in Fig. 5, the binary counter circuit 2511 includes a pair ofelectron tubes 24211 and 24311, which may conveniently be contained in asingle envelope, connected in a circuit including a plurality ofresistors 24411, 24511, 24611, 24711, 24811, 24911 and 25011, aplurality of condensers 25111, 25211 and 25311 and a pair ofunilaterally conducting devices 25411 and 25511, as indicated in thefigure. In series with the plate lead of the tube 24211, which isnormally nonconducting, is a slow releasing relay 25611. It will berecognized that the circuit 2511 is a conventional bistable flip-Hopcircuit. The operation of circuits of this type is explained in detailon pages 164-166, inclusive, and in pages 604-612, inclusive, of theaforementioned .textbook by Chance, Hughes et al.

The counter circuit 2511 receives an input from the conductor 241 andprovides a pulse output at the conductor 25711 which constitutes theinput to the next counter circuit 25b, the output of each countercircuit being fed as'an input to the next. In operation, upon receipt ofone signal pulse from the conductor 241, conduction is transferred fromthe tube 24311 to the tube 24211, thus energizing the relay 25611. Whenthe next signal is received over the conductor 241, the tube 24211becomes nonconducting again, while the tube 24311 becomes conducting.This sends a negative output pulse over the conductor 25711 to Itheinput of the next counter circuit 25h so that the counter apparatus 25counts in binary fashion with the relays 25611, 256b, 2561:, 256d and256e registering the activated count.

11n operation of the character positioning systems described herein, itis necessary to reset each of the binary circuits 25a-25e, inclusive, toits zero condition just after the last characters on the character disk16 (Fig. 1) have passed the projection position and before the indiciaon the tape are read during the reset sector 22 of the character disk16. This may be accomplished by connecting the junction point betweenthe resistors 24511 and 24611 (Fig. 5) to a brush 258 which engages thesurface of a conventional rotating commutator 259 driven in synchronismwith the character disk 16 and having a conducting surface 260interrupted by a narrow insulating segment 261. It will be understoodthat each time the insulating segment 261 passes beneath the brush 258,a ground connection to the junction point between the resistors 24511and 25611 will be disconnected, thereby resetting the binary circuit2511 -to its zero condition in which the tube 24211 is nonconducting,while the tube 24311 is conducting. The commutator 259 is connected in asimilar manner to each of the binary circuits 2511, 251-, 25d and 25e(Fig. 4) so that they are also reset at the same time.

The relay 25611 (Figs. 4 and 5), when energized, is adapted to close itsnormally open contacts 26211 thereby connecting one terminal of thesolenoid 2111, which controls actuation of the Geneva wheel mechanism3811 (Fig. 2), to the positive terminal of a source of electrical energy(not shown). The other terminal of the solenoid 2111 is grounded so thatthe latter is energized and causes the Geneva wheel mechanism 3811 to beindexed once. Similar connections are provided between the relays 256b-256e, inclusive, and the Geneva wheel mechanism solenoids 2lb-21e,respectively, and corresponding parts have been designated by likereference characters having appropriate letters.

Another flip-op circuit 263 (Fig. 4), which may be identical with thatshown in Fig. 5 except that a slow release relay 264 is substituted forthe relay 25611, is adapted to act in response to line signals receivedover the conductors 223 and 265 to control the clutch 104 (Fig. 2) andto prepare circuits for controlling the brake mechanism 120, the clutch100 and a relay 266 (Figs.

'3 and 4) which determines whether or not a standard Word space orjustified word space is to be inserted in the line to be composed. Thus,one terminal of the clutch 104 is connected to ground and the otherterminal is connected through the normally closed contacts 267 on therelay 264, a conductor 268, and the normally closed contacts 269 on anadjusting relay 270 to the positive terminal of a source ofelectrical-energy (not shown) the negative terminal of which isgrounded.

Similarly, one terminal of the brake mechanism 120 is grounded and theother terminal is connected by a conductor 27011 through the normallyclosed contacts 271 on the relay 264, a conductor 27211, the contacts272 and 273 on the relay 236, the conductor 268, and' the closedcontacts 269 on the adjusting relay 270 to the positive source ofelectrical energy.

IIn like manner, one terminal of the clutch is grounded and its otherterminal is connected by a conductor 274 through the normally closedcontacts 275, a conductor 276, Ithe contacts 277 and 272 on the relay236 (which are open in the position shown), the conductor 268, and theclosed relay contacts 269 on the adjusting relay 270 to the positiveterminal of the source of electrical energy.

T he relay 266 has one terminal connected to the plate 278 of aconventional grid controlled gas discharge tube 279 such as a thyratron,for example, the cathode 280 of which is connected to ground, as shown.The other terminal of the relay 266 is connected through the conductors350 and 305 and the normally closed contacts 306 of the relay 264 to thepositive terminal of the voltage supply (not shown). The grid 281 of thetube 279 recelves justifying signals from the amplifier 207 through themovable contact 282 on the relay 236 engaging the fixed contact 283, aconductor 284 and a condenser 285, a resistor 286 being connectedbetween the grid 281 and ground.

The solenoid 93 which controls the word space generatlng mechanism(Figs. 3 and 4) has one terminal connected to ground and anotherterminal connected by a conductor 287 through the normally open contacts288 of a relay 289 to the positive terminal of the source of electricalenergy (not shown), the negative terminal of wh1ch is grounded. Therelay 289 is adapted to be energized by another llip-flop circuit 290which may be identical in construction with the circuit 2511 shown inFig. 5, the relay 289 corresponding to the relay 25611 in the latter.During the justification cycle, the flip-Hop circuit 290 1s adapted toreceive word space signals from the amplifier 206 through a conductor291, the closed contacts 292 and 29211 on the relay 236 and a conductor293. When the system shown in Fig. 4 is connected to effect thecomposing operation, however, the flip-flop circuit 290 receivesprinting word space signals from the amplier 216 through a conductor294, the movable contact 295 on the relay 236 engaging the fixed contact296, a conductor 297, the movable contact 298 on the relay 266, the xedcontact 299 and a conductor 300.

In some cases, as for a paragraph ending, for example, the line ofcharacters does not need to be justified. Under such conditions, therelay 266 and its control thyratron 279 provide for the insertion ofstandard yword spaces rather than justied word spaces between successivewords. Thus, where justication is required, a justifying pulse from theamplier 207 will be transmitted through the engaged contacts 282 and 283on the relay 236 to the grid 281 of the thyratron 279, causing it tobecome conducting and energizing the relay 266. This will cause themovable relay contact 298to engage the contact 299 so that on thecomposing cycle when the contacts 295 and 296 on the relay 236 areengaged, printing word space signals will be transmitted to thellip-flop circuit 290, which will control the solenoid 93 through 13 therelay 289 to insert justified word spaces in the composed line, asrequired.

On the other hand, if justification is not required, no justifyingsignal will be received so that the relay 266 will not be energized.Hence, word space signals generated during the composing cycle will besupplied from the amplifier 216 through the conductor 294, the engagedcontacts 295 and 296 on the relay 236, the conductor 297, the engagedcontacts 298 and 301 on the relay 266, and a conductor 302 to the inputof the binary circuit 25e. This will operate the solenoid 21e throughthe relay 256e to the Geneva wheel mechanism 38e to insert a 16 unitspace as a standard word space between words.

Operation In operation, let it be assumed that the character positioningand justifying mechanism shown in Figs. 2 and 3 is to undergosuccessively justifying and composing cycles as required for thejustification and composition of a line of type. During the reset periodof the first revolution of the character disk 16 (Fig. l) in thejustfying cycle, a line signal will be generated by the photoelectriccell 210 in response to an appropriate code on the control tape (Fig. 1)and the output signal from the amplifier 217 will be fed to theliip-fiop circuit 224. The latter will act to operate the slow releasingrelay 236 in accordance with the time sequence shown generally in line Fof the graph illustrated in Fig. 7. Simultaneously, the relay 237, whichis in series with the relay 236, opens, disengaging its contacts 303 anddisconnecting the justifying log tape wheel coupling clutch 84 from thepositive terminal of a source of electrical energy (not shown) therebyreleasing the clutch 84.

At the same time, the closed contacts 304 on the relay 237 are opened sothat one energizing circuit for the justifying reset clutch 68 isbroken. However, the clutch 68 does not release because anotherenergizing circuit through a conductor 305 and the closed contacts 306on the relay 264 is still closed. The clutch 68 is not released untilthe relay contacts 306 are opened a short time later.

The line signal from the amplifier 217 is also transmitted through theconductors 223 and 265 to the flipflop circuit 263 which causes therelay 264 to be energized, opening its normally closed contacts 267.This opens the energizing circuit for the clutch 104 so that the latteris released. At the same time, the contacts 271, 275 and 306 are openedso that the clutches 100 and 68 are released. With the release of theclutches 104, 100, 84 and 68, the point size adjusting and thejustifying mechanisms are returned to their normal or starting positionsthrough the action of the return springs 128, 129, 121 and 132. Also,the mirror 37 (Fig. 3) is returned to its line beginning positionthrough the action of a return spring 131 mounted on the shaft 103.

The opening of the relay contacts 306 on the relay 264 extinguishes thethyratron 279 and deenergizes the relay 266. This causes the movablecontact arm 298 of the latter to disengage the fixed contact 299 and toengage the fixed contact 301 which is the normal position of thejustifying sensing circuit.

At the beginning of the reset period of the second revolution of thecharacter disk 16 (Figs. 1 and 7), the reset commutator 259 resets thefiip-flop circuits 263 and 290 to their normal conditions of operation,thereby deenergizing the relays 264 and 289. Deenergization of the relay264 closes its contacts 267 and energizes the clutch 104.

The closing of the relay contacts 271 energizes the brake 120 and theclosing of the contacts 306 energizes the clutch 68. At the same time,plate voltage is applied to the thyratron 270 through the relay 266. Theclosing of contacts 275 does not energize the clutch 100 since itssource of current is interrupted by the operation of the relay 236.

If, during the justifying cycle, a justifying signal is generated by thephotoelectric cell 203, a signal will be fed from the amplifier 207 tothe grid 281 of the thyratron 279 causing the latter to becomeconducting and energizing the relay 266. This will disengage the movablecontact 298 from the fixed contact 301 and cause it to engage the fixedContact 299, thus preparing a circuit for the insertion of justifiedword spaces between words.

As the antecedent signal pick-up device 30 (Figs. l and 4) scans therespective character width indicia on the control tape 10, the photocell201 generates signals which are amplified by the amplifier 202 and fedthrough the conductor 238, the engaged contacts 239 and 240 on the relay236 and the conductor 241 to the several binary circuits in the binarycounting apparatus 25. This results in operation of appropriate ones ofthe relays Ziria-256e, inclusive, causing appropriate ones of the Genevamechanisms 38u-38e, inclusive, to produce a total displacenient of theshaft 46e proportional to the total width of the characters. Thisdisplacement is either reduced or increased by the point size adjustmentmechanism 50 (Figs. 3 and 4) as required for the particular point sizethat has been selected and the reduced or increased displacement appearsat the shaft 63 which feeds it as one input to the differential 95.

Since the shaft 96a at this time is braked by the braking mechanism 120,the character width information represented by the total displacementimparted to the shaft 63 is fed to the gear 94 in the justifying andcharacter positioning mechanism 29 (Figs. 3 and 4). This causes the gear94 to move from its maximum line length position (in which the pin 101is in engagement with the stop 102) towards the zero position. At thistime, the clutch 8,4 is disengaged (Figs. 3 and 7) so that the log tapewheels 38 and 71 are free to assume positions commensurate with themovement of the gear 94.

In the meantime, whenever a Word space code indicia on the control tape10 (Fig. l) is scanned by the photoelectric cell 203 in the antecedentsignal pick-up device 30 (Fig. 4), a signal is generated which isamplified in the amplifier 204 and transmitted through the filternetwork 205 to the amplifier 206. From the amplifier 206, the word spacesignal is transmitted through the conductor 291, the closed contacts 292and 292e of the relay 236 and the conductor 293 to the flip-flop circuit290, causing the latter to operate and energize the relay 289. Thiscloses therelay contacts 288 and completes the energizing circuit forthe clutch 93, causing the pin 88 on the gear 89 to index the Genevawheel 37 once and produce a corresponding movement of the shaft 79.

At the end of the justifying cycle, the gear 94 will be in a position ofdisplacement representing the difference between the total line lengthand the total width of all the characters in the line and the log tapewheels 38 and 71 will have been brought to a corresponding position. Atthe same time, the Geneva wheel 87 will have been indexed a number oftimes equal to the number of word spaces in the line so that the logtape Wheels 77 and 78 will have been brought to a correspondingposition.

As stated, a line end code indicia is formed on the control tape 10(Fig. 1) at the end of each line of characters. When a line end indiciais scanned by the photoelectric cell 210 in the printing signal pick-updevice 31, a signal is generated which is amplied in the amplifier 217and transmitted over the conductor 223 to the flipilop circuit 224.Actuation of the fiip-flop circuit 224 reverses the position of the slowacting relay 236, causing the movable relay contacts 239, 292, 282, 307,205, 272a and 308 to disengage the fixed contacts 240, 292g, 283, 309,310, 273 and 311, respectively, and to engage the fixed contacts 312,313, 314, 315, 296, 297 and 317, respectively. This transfers thejustifying and character positioning mechanism shown in Figs. 2, 3 and 4from the justifying function to the composing function, while the secondjustifying and character positioning mechanism (not shown) ceases thecomposing function and begins the justifying function on the next lineof characters on the control tape 10.

Actuation of the flip-fiop circuit 224 also energizes the quick actingrelay 237 which is in series with the relay 236, thereby closing itsnormally open contacts 303 and 304. The closing of the contacts 363energizes the clutch S4 and couples the shafts 73 and 80 (Fig. 3)together. The closing of the relay contacts 304 maintains the justifyingreset clutch 68 energized and prevents it from resetting during thetransfer to the composing cycle as it would when the relay 264 isdeenergized, as described below.

The line signal is also applied over the conductors 223 and 265 to theflip-fiop circuit 263 which energizes the relay 264. However, since therelay 264 is of the slow releasing type, it delays opening its contactsfor a short period of time after the reset period of the firstrevolution of the disk 16 (Fig. 1) in the composing cycle. opening ofthe contacts 267 and 271, respectively, releases the clutch 104 and thebrake 120, enabling the point size mechanism 56 (Fig. 3) to return toits initial position under the influence of the return springs 128 and129. Since the clutch 84 (Figs. 3 and 4) was engaged immediately uponreceipt of the line signal to lock the gear 94 through the two pairs oflog tape wheels 78 and 77, the engaged clutch 68, the gearing 85, 86 andthe locked Geneva wheel 87, the gear 94 cannot move under the influenceof its return spring 121, so that it maintains the previously madeadjustment for proper justification of the line.

With the release of the clutch in the second unit (not shown) whichcorresponds to the clutch 100 on the shaft 103 (Fig, 4), the mirror 37returns to its line beginning position under the inuence of its returnspring 131 (Fig. 3). As indicated, since the contacts 304 of the fastacting relay 237 were closed before the contacts 306 of the slowreleasing relay 264 were opened, the justier reset clutch 68 ismaintained energized during the transfer function. Also, voltage ismaintained on the plate of the thyratro-n 279 (Fig, 4) during thetransfer function through this same circuit.

At the beginning of the reset period of the second revolution in thecomposing cycle (Fig. 7), the commutator 259 acts to reset the dip-flopcircuit 263, thus deenergizing the relay 264 and permitting its contacts267, 271, 275 and 306 to close. This results in energization of theclutches 104 and 100, the latter through the closed Ycontacts 275 on therelay 264 and the closed contacts 272 and 277 on the relay 236. Themechanism is now ready for the composing cycle.

The indicia on the control tape 10 (Fig. 1) which were previouslyscanned by the antecedent pick-up device 30 are now scanned by theprinting signal pick-up device 31. Character space indicia scanned bythe photoelectric cell 268 generate electric signals which, afteramplification in the amplifier 215 are transmitted through the engagedcontacts 307 and 315 of the relay 236 and the conductor 241 to thebinary circuits a-25e, inclusive, in the binary counting apparatus 25.This results in energization of one or more of the relays 256a--256e,inclusive which cause corresponding ones of the Geneva wheel solenoids21a-21e, respectively, to be energized to actuate the corresponding onesof the Geneva mechanisms 38u-33e, respectively (Fig. 2). The operationof the Geneva mechanisms causes incremental displacements to be impartedto the shaft 46e in proportion, respectively, to the widths of thecharacters represented by the several code elements scanned. Thesedisplacements are either reduced or increased by the point sizeadjustment mechanism 50 (Fig. 3) following which they appear at theshaft 63.

So long as only character width indicia on the control tape 10 (Fig. 1)are being scanned, the gear 94 remains The CTI

16 stationary so that the output of the shaft 63 is transmitted to theshaft 96u (Figs. 3 and 4) and Vrotates the worm 97 to turn the refiector37 as required to position the several characters of a word along a lineon the photosensitive medium 18.

When a word space code indicia on the control tape 10 (Fig. 1) isscanned by the photoelectric cell 209 in the printing signal pick-updevice 31 (Fig. 4), a signal is generated which is fed from theamplifier 216 through the conductor 294, the engaged contacts 295 and296 on the relay 236, the conductor 297, the engaged contacts 298 and299 on the energized relay 266 and the conductor 306 to the fiipfiopcircuit 296. This actuates the flip-flop circuit 290 and operates therelay 289 causing its contacts 288 to become engaged to energize thesolenoid 93. This causes the pin 88 on the gear 89 to index the Genevawheel 37 once. Since the clutches 63 and S4 are now engaged, the gear 94rotates an amount equal to the word space which should be insertedbetween successive words in order to insure composition of thecharacters in a properly justified line. The rotation of the shaft 94 isfed as a second input to the differential 955 and appears at the shaft96a which drives the worm 97.

The apparatus continues to operate in this manner until the entire lineof characters has been exposed on the photosensitive emulsion 18 (Fig.3). When that occurs, the reiiector 37 is returned to its initialposition and the operation of the unit shown in Figs. 2 and 3 isswitched from the composing function back to the justifying function,while the second unit (not shown) is switched from the justifyingfunction to the composing function in the manner described hereinabove.

As previously stated, the stops 12611 and 127a for the pins 126 and 127of the point size adjusting mechanism 50 (Fig. 3) are adapted to bepositioned according to the size desired for the composed type. Also,the stop 102 for the pin 101 of the justifying mechanism is adapted tobe adjusted according to the length desired for the composed line. Theseadjustments may be made by closing an adjusting switch 315 (Fig. 4) toenergize the relay 270 and open its normally closed contacts 269. Thisdeenergizes the clutches 67, 100, 104 and 84 and releases the brake sothat the adjustments mentioned above may be effected by manual or othermeans. It will be understood that the two adjustments of point size andline length should be made prior to the justifying cycle of anyparticular line to be composed.

The invention thus provides novel and effective mechanical apparatus forpositioning characters in correctly justified lines on a photosensitivemedium. Further, it enables a wide range of character widths to beaccommodated and also provides means for adjusting the point size of thecharacters in the printing line.

The mechanism for selecting the characters to be printed forms no part0f the invention. Apparatus suitable for the purpose is disclosed in theaforementioned application Serial No. 41,318. That application alsoincludes a detailed disclosure of a number of components and controlcircuits that have been referred to broadly above. In order to avoidduplication, such components and control circuits are described hereinonly to the extent necessary for an understanding of the invention.

The specific embodiment described herein and illustrated in the drawingsis obviously susceptible of considerable modification within the spiritof the invention.

It, therefore, is to be regarded merely as illustrative and as notlimiting the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheels carried, respectively, by one and another shafts and coupledtogether to provide a logarithmic motion transmission ratio from theformer to the latter shaft, means normally maintaining said shafts in aninitial position corresponding to the length of a line 17 of characters,a second pair of log tape wheels carried, respectively, by one andanother shafts. and coupled together to provide a logarithmc motiontransmission ratio from the former to the latter shaft, means forcoupling and uncoupling said oher shaft of said first pair and saidother shaft of said second pair of log tape wheels, means operable whensaid other shafts are uncoupled for moving said shafts of said firstpair of log tape wheels from said initialL position as a function of thewidths of the characters to be printed in a line, and means operablewhen said other shafts are uncoupled for moving said shafts of saidsecond pair of log tape wheels as a function of the number of wordspaces in said line of characters said movements when completed and saidother shafts thereafter coupled together providing therethrough andbetween said one shafts a motion transmission ratio representing thesize of justified word spaces along said line.

2. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheels carried, respectively, by one and another shafts and coupledtogether to provide a logarithmic motion transmission ratio from theformer to the latter shaft, means normally maintaining said shafts in aninitial position corresponding to the length of a line of characters, asecond pair of log tape wheels carried, respectively, by one and anothershafts and coupled together to provide a logarithmic motion transmissionratio from the former to the latter shaft, means for coupling anduncoupling said oher shaft of said first pair and said other shaft ofsaid second pair of log tape wheels, a record strip having first indiciarepresenting character width information and second indicia representingword space information, means responsive to said first indicia fordisplacing when said other shafts are uncoupled said shafts of saidfirst pair of log tape Wheels as a function of the character Widthsrepresented by said first indicia, and means responsive to said secondindicia for displacing said shafts of said second pair of log tapewheels as a function of the number of word spaces represented by saidsecond indicia, said displacements when completed and' said other shaftsthereafter coupled together providing therethrough and between said oneshafts a motion transmission ratio representing justified word spacesalong said line.

3. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheelsmounted on, respectively, one and another shafts and coupledtogether to provide a logarithmic motion transmission ratio from theformer to the latter shaft, a second pair of log tape wheels mounted on,respectively, one and another shafts andV coupled together to provide alogarithmic motion transmission ratio from the former to the lattershaft, releasable means for coupling said other shaft in said first pairwith said other shaft in said second pair of log tape wheels, meansnormally urging said one shaft of said first pair of log tape wheels toan initial position representing line length, stop means retaining saidone shaft in said first pair shaft in said initial position, meansoperable when said other shafts are uncoupled for displacing said oneshaft in said first pair shaft away from said initial position as afunction of the widths of characters in a line, and means operable whensaid other shafts are uncoupled for displacing said one shaft of saidsecond pair of log tape wheels as a function of the number of wordspaces in a line.

4. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheels each mounted on a shaft, a second pair of log tape wheels eachmounted on a shaft, releasable means for coupling a shaft in said firstpair with a shaft in said second pair of log tape wheels, means normallyurging the other shaft or" said first pair of log tape wheels to aninitial position representing line length, stop means retaining saidother shaft in said initial position, a record strip carrying firstindicia representing character widths and second indicia representingword spaces, means responsive to said first indicia on the record stripfor displacing said other shaft away from said initial position as afunction of the widths of characters in a line, and responsive to saidsecond indicia on the record strip for displacing the other shaft ofsaid second pair of log tape wheels, as a function of the number of wordspaces in a line.

5. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheels each mounted on a shaft, a second pair of log tape wheels eachmounted on a shaft, releasable means for coupling a shaft in said firstpair with a shaft in said second pair of log tape wheels, means normallyurging the other shaft of said first pair of log tape wheels to aninitial position representing line length, stop means retaining saidother shaft in said initial position, a record strip carrying firstindicia representing character widths and second indicia representingword spaces, a plurality of mechanisms responsive to said first indiciaon the record strip for producing mechanical outputs of different unitmagnitudes representing in sum the widths of characters, means fordisplacing said other shaft of the first pair of log tape wheels awayfrom said initial position in accordance with the total output from saidplurality of mechanisms, Geneva mechanism adapted when indexed todisplace the other shaft of said second pair of log tape wheels, andmeans responsive to said second indicia on the record strip for indexingsaid Geneva mechanism.

6. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a first pair of log tapewheels each mounted on a shaft, a second pair of log tape wheels eachmounted on a shaft, releasable means for coupling a shaft in said firstpair with a shaft in said second pair of log tape wheels, means normallyurging the other shaft of said first pair of log tape wheels to aninitial position representing line length, stop means retaining saidother shaft in said initial position, a record strip carrying firstindicia representing character widths and second indicia representingword spaces, a plurality of Geneva mechanisms adapted when indexed toproduce different unit mechanical outputs, means responsive to saidfirst indicia on the record strip for indexing certain of saidv Genevamechanisms to produce a total mechanical output therefrom representingcharacter width, means for displacing said other shaft of the first pairof log tape wheels away from its initial position in accordance with thetotal output from said plurality of Geneva mechanisms, another Genevamechanism adapted when indexed to displace the other shaft of saidsecond pair of logl tape wheels, and means responsive to said secondindicia on the record strip for indexing said another Geneva mechanism.

7. In printingy apparatus having a carrier medium and printing meansadapted to assume with respect to said carrier medium successiveprinting positions for thereafter correspondingly printing successiveindividual characters on said medium in spaced apart relationin a line,the combination of a movable member adapted upon displacementv thereofto produce relative movement in terms of printing position between saidcarrier medium and said printing means, a record strip. bearing firstindicia in the form of binary digit groups of which the total value ofthe digits in each group represents a character width in termsA of unitsof displacement in the direction of said relative movement and bearingsecond indicia representing word spaces, a plurality of mechanismsrelatively corresponding to the binary digits in said groups thereof andadapted when actuated to provide respective, fixed value mechanicaloutputs whose magnitudes are graded in the proportional relationcharacterizing said binary digits, means responsive to the binary digitsin each group thereof formed by first indicia on said record strip foractuating corresponding ones of said mechanisms to provide outputstherefrom which total to a magnitude commensurate with the characterWidth represented by the binary digit group, mechanical means forimparting to said movable member a displacement in accordance with saidtotal magnitude, and other mechanical means responsive to said secondindicia on the record strip for displacing said movable member to inserta word space between words during the printing of a line.

8. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a movable member forcontrolling the positioning of characters on a medium, a record stripcarrying first indicia representing character widths as sums of units ofdisplacement along a printed line and second indicia representing wordspaces, a plurality of mechanisms including Geneva movements, saidmechanisms being adapted when the Geneva movements thereof are indexedto provide different unit me- .chanical outputs, means responsive toeach given first indicia on the record strip for indexing certain ofsaid Geneva mechanisms to produce outputs therefrom representing intotal output the sum denoted by said given indicia and thus theassociated character width, means for displacing said movable member inaccordance with the total output from said mechanisms to control thepositioning of characters on said medium, and means responsive to saidsecond indicia on the record strip for displacing said member to insertword space between words being positioned on said medium.

9. ln justifying apparatus, the combination of a movable member forcontrolling the positioning of characters on a medium, a record stripcarrying first indicia representing character widths and second indiciarepresenting word spaces` first mechanical means responsive to saidfirst indicia on the record strip for displacing said movable member tocontrol the positions of characters on said medium, a first pair of logtape wheels having shafts therefor, a second pair of log tape wheelshaving shafts therefor, releasable means coupling one shaft of saidfirst pair and one shaft of said second pair of log tape wheels, Genevamechanism adapted when indexed to displace the other shaft of saidsecond pair of log tape wheels. thereby displacing the other shaft ofsaid first pair of log tape wheels, means responsive to said secondindicia on the record strip for indexing said Geneva mechanism, andmeans for displacing said movable member in accordance with thedisplacement of said other shaft of the first pair of log tape wheels.

10. In justifying apparatus, the combination of a movable member forcontrolling the positioning of characters on a medium, a record stripcarrying first indicia representing character widths and second indiciarepresenting word spaces, a plurality of Geneva mechanisms adapted whenindexed to provide `different unit mechanical outputs, means responsiveto said first indicia on the record strip for indexing certain of saidGeneva mechanisms to produce outputs therefrom representing in sumcharacter widths, means for displacing said movable member in accordancewith the total output from said Geneva mechanisms to control thepositioning of characters on said medium, j

adjustable mechanism interposed between said Geneva mechanisms and themovable member for modifying the total output from said Genevamechanisms as required to accommodate different point sizes ofcharacters, a first pair of log tape wheels having shafts therefor, asecond pair of log tape wheels having shafts therefor, releasable meanscoupling one shaft of said first pair and one shaft of said second pairof log tape wheels, another Geneva mechanism adapted when indexed todisplace the other shaft of said second pair of log tape wheels, therebydisplacing the other shaft of said first pair of log tape wheels, meansresponsive to said second indicia on the record strip for indexing saidanother Geneva mechanism, and means for displacing said movable memberin accordance with the displacement of said other shaft of the firstpair of log tape wheels.

l1. In printing apparatus having a carrier medium and printing meansadapted to assume with respect to said carrier medium successiveprinting positions for thereafter correspondingly printing successiveindividual characters on said medium in spaced apart relation in a line,the

first and second indicia a first time for justifying purposesV and asecond time for printing purposes, first mechanical means responsive forboth scannings to said first indicia for producing mechanicaldisplacements respectively commensurate with the character widthsdenoted thereby, second mechanical means responsive for both scanningsto said second indicia for producing corresponding unit value mechanicaldisplacements representing unjustified word spaces, mechanism fortransmitting word space displacements during said second scanning fromsaid second mechanical means to a movable element of said mechanism,said mechanism during said first scanning being adjustable responsive tocharacter width and word space displacements supplied thereto over thewhole scanned line from said first and second mechanical means toprovide through said mechanism a motion transmitting ratio which, whensaid second scanning occurs, converts unjustified word spacedisplacements from said second mechanical means into displacements ofsaid movable element commensurate with the size of justified word spacesfor the scanned line, and means responsive during said second scanningto the character width displacements of said first mechanical means andthe justified word space displacements of said movable element forproducing commensurate displacements of said movable member.

12. A combination as in claim l1 wherein the lastnamed means of saidclaim comprises a differential means having an input coupled with saidfirst mechanical means to receive the character width displacementsproduced thereby, an output, and a differentially movable elementcoupled with said movable element of said adjustable mechanism, saidcombination further comprising means operable during said first scanningfor holding said output to produce adjustment of the ratio of saidmechanism by transmission of character width displacements thereto fromsaid first mechanical means through the input and movable element ofsaid differential means and to the movable element of said mechanism,and means operable during said second scanning for coupling said outputto said movable member, said differential means producing displacementsat its output in accordance with the displacements received at its inputfrom said first mechanical means and at its movable element from saidadjustable mechanism.

13. In printing apparatus having a carrier medium and printing meansadapted to assume with respect to said carrier medium successiveprinting positions for thereafter correspondingly printing successiveindividual characters on said medium in spaced apart relation in a line,the combination of a movable member adapted upon displacement thereof toproduce relative movement in terms of printing position between saidcarriermedium and said printing means, a record strip bearing indicia inthe form of binary digit groups of which the total value of the digitsof each group represents a character width as sums of displacement unitsin the direction of said relative niovement, means having a plurality ofoutputs respectively corresponding to the binary digits in said groupsthereof, said means being responsive to the binary digits in each groupthereof formed by said indicia for producing at corresponding ones ofsaid plurality of separate outputs mechanical displacements of fixedvalue representing in accordance with the outputs at which they appearthe value of the digits of the binary digit group, mechanical meansresponsive to the displacements appearing at said outputs for producingtherefrom a total displacement which in amount is commensurate with thetotal value represented by said displacements at said outputs, and meansfor imparting to said movable member a displacement in accordance withvsaid total displacement.

14. In printing apparatus having a carrier medium and printing meansadapted to assume with respect to said carrier medium a succession ofprinting positions for thereafter correspondingly printing successiveindividual characters on said medium in spaced apart relation in a line,the combination of a movable member effective upon motion thereof toproduce relative movement in terms of printing position between saidcarrier medium and said printing means, a record strip bearing indiciain the form of binary digit groups of which the total value of thedigits of each group represents the width of a character to be printedin terms of units of. displacement in the direction of said relativemovement, a shaft, motion transmitting means interposed between saidshaft and said movable member, a plurality of mechanisms respectivelycoresponding to the binary digits in said groups thereof and adapted tobe individually actuated to produce respective, fixed value,l mechanicaloutputs whose magnitudes are graded in the proportional relationcharacterizing the values of said binary digits, means responsive to thebinary digits in each group thereof formed by` indicia on said recordstrip for actuating corresponding ones of said mechanisms to provideoutputs therefrom which total to a magnitude commensurate with thecharacter width represented by the binary digit group, means for addingthe outputs of such of said mechanisms as have been actuated, and meansfor imparting to said shaft a displacement in accordance with said addedoutputs.

15. in printing apparatus having a carrier medium and printing meansadapted to assume with respect to said carrier medium a succession ofprinting positions for thereafter correspondingly printing successiveindividual characters on said medium in spaced apart relation in a line,the combination of a movable member effective upon motion thereof toproduce relative movement in terms of printing position between saidcarrier medium and said printing means, a record strip bearing indiciain the form of binary digit groups of which the total value of thedigits of each group represents the width of a character to be printedin terms of units of displacement in the direction of said relativemovement, a shaft, motion transmitting means interposed between saidshaft and said movable member, a plurality of mechanisms respectivelycorrespondng to the binary digits in said groups thereof andrespectively including Geneva movements, said mechanisms being adapted,when the Geneva movements thereof are indexed, to produce respective,fixed value, mechanical outputs whose magnitudes are graded in theproportional relation characterizing the values of said binary digits,means responsive to the binary digits in each group thereof formed byindicia on said record strip for indexing the Geneva movements ofcorresponding ones of said mechanisms to provide outputs therefrom whichtotal to a magnitude commensurate with the character width representedby the binary digit group, means for adding the outputs of such of saidmechanisms as have had their Geneva movements indexed, and means forimparting to said shaft a displacement in accordance with said addedoutputs.

16. In a printing apparatus adapted to be controlled by a record stripbearing iirst and second indicia respectively representing characters tobe printed and preselected numerical values corresponding to andrelatively relating the widths of said characters, said apparatus havinga carrier medium and printing means responsive to said first indicia toassume with respect to said carrier medium successive printing positionsfor thereafter correspondingly printing successive individual characterson said medium in spaced apart relation in a line, the combination of amovable member effective upon motion thereof to produce between eachprinting of an individual character a relative movement in terms ofprinting position between said carrier medium and said printing means,mechanism responsive to said second indicia for moving said memberrespective amounts corresponding to and in proportion to saidpreselected values of character width represented by said secondindicia, and adjustable means to vary the value of the proportionbetween said amounts of movement and said corresponding preselectedvalues by expanding or contracting, by amounts determined by theadjustment of said last-named means and as required to accommodatedifferent points sizes of characters, the movement imparted by saidmechanism to said movable member.

17. in printing apparatus adapted to be controlled by a record stripbearing first and second indicia respectively representing characters tobe printed and preselected numerical values corresponding to andrelatively relating the width of said characters, said apparatus havinga carrier medium and printing means responsive to said first indicia toassume with respect to said carrier medium successive printing positionsfor thereafter correspondingly printing successive individual characterson said medium in spaced apart relation in a line, the combination of amovable member effective upon motion thereof to produce between eachprinting of an individual character a relative movement in terms ofprinting position between said carrier medium and said printing means, ashaft coupled to said movable member, mechanism responsive to saidsecond indicia for imparting to said shaft incremental displacementscorresponding to and in proportion to the preselected values representedby said second indicia, and adjustable motion transmitting mechanismproviding in accordance with its adjustment a continuously adjustableratio between its input and output motions, and having its input andoutput respectively coupled with said displacement imparting mechanismand with said shaft to vary the value of the proportion between saiddisplacements and said preselected values by expanding or contractingthe displacements imparted to said shaft as required to accommodatedifferent point sizes of characters.

18. In printing apparatus adapted to be controlled by a record stripbearing first and second indicia respectively representing charactersand preselected numerical values corresponding to and relativelyrelating the widths of said characters, said apparatus having a carriermedium and printing means responsive to said first indicia to assumewith respect to said carrier medium successive printing positions forthereafter correspondingly printing successive individual characters onsaid medium in spaced apart relation in a line, the combination of amovable member effective upon motion thereof to produce between eachprinting of an individual character a relative movement in terms ofprinting position between said carrier medium and said printing means, ashaft, motion transmitting mechanism coupling the shaft to said movablemember, mechanism responsive to said second indicia for imparting tosaid shaft incremental displacements corresponding to and in proportionto the preselected values represented by said second indicia, andadjustable ratio gear train mechanism interposed between saiddisplacement imparting mechanism and said Shaft to vary the value of theproportion between said displacements and said preselected values byexpanding or contracting the displacements imparted to said shaft asrequired to accommodate different point sizes of characters.

19. The combination defined in claim 18 in which the adjustable geartrain mechanism comprises a rst pair of log tape wheels mounted,respectively, on one and the other of a first pair of shafts and coupledtogether to provide a logarithmic transmission ratio from said one tosaid other shaft, a second pair of log tape wheels mounted on,respectively, one and the other of a second pair of shafts and coupledtogether to provide a logarithmic transmission ratio from said one tosaid other of said second pair of shafts, means to selectively coupleand uncouple said other shaft of said first pair thereof to said othershaft of said second pair thereof, and means adapted when said othershafts of said two pairs thereof are uncoupled to establish selectedrelative angular displacements between said one shafts of said two pairsthereof to thereby change the effective gear ratio between said oneshafts for motion transmitted therebetween through said other shaftswhen the latter shafts are thereafter coupled together.

20. A justifying assembly for a printing apparatus having a carriermedium and printing means adapted to assume with respect to said carriermedium successive printing positions for thereafter correspondinglyprinting successive individual characters on said medium in spaced apartrelation in a line, comprising the combination of, a movable membereffective upon being driven to produce between each printing of anindividual character a relative movement in terms of printing positionbetween said carrier medium and said printing means, adjustable ratiogear mechanism for supplying, during the printing of a line, ajustifying word space output to drive said movable member, means forsuplying unit input to said gear mechanism whenever a word space in tobe inserted between words during the printing of said line, and meansoperative before the printing of said line for adjusting the ratio ofsaid gear mechanism as a function of the length of said line, the sum ofcharacter widths therein and the number of Word spaces therein.

` 21. Adjustable ratio gear train mechanism comprising, a rst pair oflog tape Wheels mounted, respectively, on one and the other of a rstpair of shafts and coupled together to provide a logarithmictransmission ratio from said one to said other shaft, a second pair oflog tape wheels mounted on, respectively, one and the other of a secondpair of shafts and coupled together to provide a logarithmictransmission ratio from said one to said other of said second pair ofshafts, and releasable means for selectively coupling and uncouplingsaid other shaft in said first pair thereof and said other shaft in saidsecond pair thereof, said releasable means permitting relative change inangular position between said other shafts when the same are coupled toeffect an adjustment in the motion transmission ratio provided, whensaid other shafts are thereafter coupled, between said one shaft of saidrst pair thereof and said one shaft of said second pair thereof.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,428,927 Vinik Sept. 12, 1922 1,803,465 Dina May 5, 1931 2,229,689 YWestover Ian. 28, 1941 2,332,509 `De Vry Oct. 26, 1943 V2,351,126Highton June 13, 1944 2,378,371 Tholstrup June 12, 1945 2,388,961Elliott Nov. 13, 1945

